A recent break-in at a small water treatment plant located in northern Georgia forced the utility to issue a boil water advisory that lasted for days.
Authorities reported that an intruder broke in and changed the chemical settings within the filtration system, essentially poisoning the water. The facility had no security guards or cameras in place, and its lock and barbed wire fence just didn’t cut it.
The bright side of this unfortunate incident, however, is that it gives all plants good reason to pause, evaluate security systems currently in place and consider any potential improvements.
Strengthening security
“Padlocks keep honest people honest,” says John Culwell, security supervisor of the City of Phoenix Water Services Department, “but without the possibility of a response nothing is going to happen.”
With five treatment facilities serving 540 square miles and about 1.5 million people throughout Phoenix, keeping all of them up-to-date with security devices and equipment is an ongoing project and challenge, but as Culwell notes, it’s an important one. “We have to protect the water so that the health of our customers is also protected,” he says.
In addition to security guards, recent upgrades at a number of the Phoenix facilities have included everything from gates, anti-climb fencing and block walls to cameras, sensors and intrusion detection systems.
Culwell also points out that regardless of plant size or budget, there are measures all facilities can take in order to strengthen security such as developing effective partnerships with law enforcement and becoming more aware of vulnerabilities by requesting a cost-free assessment through the Department of Homeland Security and its Office of Infrastructure Protection.
Innovative safety
When Aqua Water Supply Corporation, a member-owned water utility, was ready to improve its security system and protect tank hatches at its water treatment facility in Bastrop, Texas, it turned to Inovonics to utilize the company’s universal transmitters to get the job done.
Partnering with OPTEX, Inc., a company specializing in passive and active infrared technology for security solutions, the two companies were able to provide a secure wireless perimeter around the facility that local security systems integrator Turnkey Security could incorporate into its existing SCADA system.
“It offers the water treatment facility the reliability it would get from the OPTEX photo beams had it wired them up and trenched around the entire property,” says Craig Dever, vice president of sales at Inovonics. “Using a wireless system reduces the installation cost and the total cost of ownership of the system and still gives them that increased level of security and proven reliability.”
The project earned Inovonics a nod as a finalist for Security Technology Executive magazine’s Innovation Awards, and according to Adam McGuern, marketing director at OPTEX, “As soon as we were able to offer this solution we saw a huge spike in interest and requests for this type of critical infrastructure protection.”
Cyber solutions
In an age of ever-evolving technologies, defending against cyberattacks can be just as crucial as safeguarding against the type of break-in that occurred in Georgia. Thankfully, there are companies with the expertise to tackle online dangers as well.
“Most operators are not security engineers, so we’ve created automated technology that makes them more efficient while at the same time helping improve their security,” says Kim Legelis, vice president of marketing at Industrial Defender.
The company provides detailed monitoring, heightened management, and protection for water utility operations networks, enabling owners and operators to adhere to best practices while taking care of an invaluable resource and all the people who rely on it.
